Monday, August 29, 2011

Thrift Store Magazine Rack (Stencil Makeover)

It was true serendipity when I received an offer to review the new Martha Stewart Crafts Decorative Paint Line by Plaid. I am pleased to not only share my impressions of the product, but also to show you how I made over a thrift store find and turned it into something my girls are excited to use!

Our main bookshelf is downstairs, but my girls love books, and story time is part of our bedtime routine. Most of the books my girls bring up to their room end up like this:

When I found this magazine rack at a local thrift store for $3.50, I knew at once that I could use the goodies from the Martha Stewart/Plaid line to make it more presentable.

When I opened the box of crafty goodness, I was blown away. I had no idea that so many different tools for craft paint and stenciling existed! I'm pretty the "Hallelujah Chorus" was cued in the background.

My first job was to sand and wipe down the rack before priming and spray painting it white:

The only dilemma was choosing exactly which stencils and paint colors I wanted to use! There are over 160 paint colors in five finishes (Satin, High Gloss, Glitter, Pearl, Metallic) to choose from. They each come in 2 oz. bottles and are non-toxic, which meant I didn't need to stress when the girls wanted to help me pour the paints out.

I chose paints in satin and pearl finishes to coordinate with the bedding in the girls' room:

The stencils are sturdy and come in a handy resealable case. I was very impressed by the selection of patterns!

I eyeballed and marked off my stencil area with a pencil before taping the stencil down. I chose brushes designated for wood projects and got to work with my paints.

The stencils peeled off easily, with no problems. This was my first time using stencils on a project like this, so I was worried about paint escaping underneath, but I didn't really have any issues with that. I didn't want to go overboard and turn the rack into an 80s craft nightmare, so I made myself keep it simple:

I really liked the final product!

So were Natalie and Michaela Byrd:

It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with Martha Stewart products! If you are interested, you can find the new craft paint line exclusively at Michaels craft stores in the US and Canada. You'll be blown away by the different crafting options the line can offer you: brushes to create stripes and waves, attachments to roll your paint on, sponges, glazes, and even a new product to help you create your own spray paint! The paints are formulated to work on all crafting surfaces, including wood, metal, glass, ceramic, terra-cotta, and fabric. It is indoor/outdoor safe, and dishwasher-safe on glass.

Very sweet Amanda. And your girls are soo cute. : ) Nice job. I've been wanting to get a magazine rack even though I don't really need one. I have a basket and an antique wood crate I keep mine in. But I REALLY like the look of the rack, hmm. Maybe I should just get one anyway. : )

Love the stencils you used and the color combo just pops out from the white paint. It looks perfect in your cozy reading corner! I have a similar magazine rack that I was also thinking of using for my girls' playroom. Thanks for the inspiration!

This is Me

I'm a stay-at-home mom of three kids, a fluffy Pomeranian, and a rambunctious German Shepherd puppy. Happily married to T. We live in Virginia, but I secretly dream of what it would be like to have a place in NYC to escape to for random girls' shopping weekends. Target is my home away from home. I stay sane by doing creative projects around my home and taking lots of pictures. Stick around for realistic inspiration...on a budget!

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